The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-04
BUILDING A RAILROAD.
A Story Which Explains Some Things and
Leaves Other Things for Young Wits to
Find Out.

A Story Which Explains Some Things and
Leaves Other Things for Young Wits to
Find Out.
"Come, boys" said Will to the 9th
ers, I'm tired of this humdrum play.
Let's get up something new and big. "
Agreed" came from the others
"but what shall it be, WHIP"
"a railroad" was the prompt re-
ply.
And they all shouted: "a railroad!
hurrah, boys! that's just grand. Well
do it. But who knows how?"
II do" came from Will Gathers
an engineer, and you see hear him
talk to mother about it every day.
"Your father an engineerr' ex-
claimed several. don't Mike Riley
and Tim Sullivan run all the enginesP'
And Will answered with loud ':Ha
ha, ha! Run engines! ha, ha, hap
and his sides shook with laughter.
Compare my father to Mike and Tim!
My father builds railroads."
An they all said "Ohw "But what
is the first thing, Will, to build rail-
road? A spade and hoe, or what?"
Money; ten hundred thousand dol
lars, and just as much more as you can
get Father says you can do any thing
with money; but all the money in the
world couldn't have saved little sister
Rose from dying" At that large
tear came to Wills eye, and the boys
all looked at him in silence.
Then he wiped his eyes and went on:
"Come boys, say how much you'll give
to the new railroad"
Thereupon Will smoothed off a spot
in the sand and wrote his name, and
opposite he put, "The right of way and
no charge for engineering"
''And what's the right OF wayP' :"
they asked.
''You can't build roads in the air.
You must have ground, and when you
get it, you've the right of way See?
I'll get that from father, down in the
orchard, along the trout brook"
"Good for you, WILL" they all
shouted.
"Here. Rob, you sign for the ties;
Alec, for the rails, and Jim for the roll
ing stock; Dan must build the depot
Come up, now, and sign like men of
enterprise. Be liberal and prompt,
and we'll have the cars running by the
first Of June, and declare dividend
of fun at least-every day."
All this speech from Will. And each
one WI ote his name under Wills say
ing what he would give or do.
Then came the word of command
from our young engineer:
"Now to business. Each one to hi 5
home as fast as his legs will carry him,
and bring an axe or spade or hoe CT
some tool. rE run TO father for the
charter-what's that? Then let s make
the dirt fly"
When went by few days after, by
the foot of the orchard, sure enough,
there they were; coats of, each one
busy as bee, Will acting as engineer.
Liz SltulHS = WIdt UlIaC! - do
nearly all done. Will said they would
lay the ties-what are theyP-and
rails (?) the next Monday, and soon I
should hear the whistle.
True to his promise, on the appointed
day came the ''toot, toot. toot,'' louder
and louder till the hills sent back the
sound.
Hooked, and there came the train,
built of wood ''from stem to stern"
ard drawn by two stout goats, instead
of steam, while Jim sat on the engine
with tin horn to his mouth, his
cheeks pulled out like two pumpkins.
That's years ago. Will is now Mr..
William -, a frst-class railroad
man. So are some of the others. -
PGnSg